15.05.26
The Informal Summit of the Organization of Turkic States was held on May 15, 2026, in the spiritual capital of the Turkic World, Turkistan, under the chairmanship of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. The summit was organized under the theme “Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development.”
The summit was attended by the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, the President of the Kyrgyz Republic Sadyr Japarov, the President of the Republic of Türkiye Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev, the President of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus Tufan Erhürman, as well as the Secretary General of the OTS Kubanychbek Omuraliev.
The Chairman and members of the Council of Elders of the OTS, along with the heads of Turkic cooperation organizations, also attended the summit.
Under the theme “Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development,” the participants discussed strengthening cooperation among member and observer states in the fields of digital transformation, innovation, artificial intelligence, connectivity, and sustainable economic development. The leaders reaffirmed their shared commitment to deepening solidarity, mutual trust, and strategic cooperation in line with the goals of the “Turkic World Vision-2040.”
Key decisions adopted at the Turkistan Informal Summit:
Documents signed by the Heads of State and Ministers of Foreign Affairs included:
- The Turkistan Declaration of the Organization of Turkic States;
- The Decision on Strengthening the Institutional and Digital Capacity of the OTS Secretariat;
• The Decision on the Appointment of the Deputy Secretary General of the OTS.
In his speech, OTS Secretary General Kubanychbek Omuraliev highlighted the organization’s growing role as a regional cooperation platform in strategic areas such as digitalization, transport, trade, energy, tourism, education, and new technologies. He also stressed the importance of strengthening institutional coordination and advancing joint digital initiatives to ensure sustainable growth and stronger regional integration across the Turkic World.
The leaders emphasized the importance of enhancing cooperation in the fields of artificial intelligence, digital governance, smart infrastructure, and innovation ecosystems, while encouraging stronger interaction among relevant institutions and stakeholders of member and observer states.
On the occasion of the summit, the foundation stone was laid for the “Center of Turkic Civilization,” envisioned as a multifunctional international cultural, scientific, and tourism center aimed at bringing together the historical, cultural, and spiritual heritage of the Turkic World under one roof.
The summit also reaffirmed the strategic significance of Turkistan as the spiritual capital of the Turkic World, emphasizing the city’s symbolic role in strengthening common identity, cultural heritage, and the sense of unity among Turkic peoples.
Following the summit, OTS Secretary General Kubanychbek Omuraliev delivered a press statement on the main outcomes and decisions adopted during the Informal Summit. As part of the summit program, President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev hosted an official reception in honor of the Heads of State and Government of the member countries of the Organization of Turkic States.
